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Well, he should be, considering the traffic he's been getting at his scandal-disclosing blog.

I was directed to it by PEX Moms but didn't really read it. I directed my Berks friend to it and some of them found it super engaging. It's not really Brian's posts about the man who ripped him off or other members of the Gucci Gang that get the readers flocking. It's the tidbits and info the readersare leaving behind that my friends say are a hoot.

I think he may have taken down posts or disabled commenting though... for a time. He's also gotten all kinds of press about his blog (he's take the trouble to list them on the left side of his blog). My cousin also said something about Google itself issuing some form of support for him so his blog won't be taken down. I'm just too lazy to verify that, however.

But anyway, what do you think? Is he earning through adsense? I'm betting he is. I guess it also wouldn't be so hard for him to get approved for other link ads but Google might not like that...

Do I care about his cause? Not really... though I get where he's coming from. And since I never got what's cool about Tim Yap, I don't grieve for his, and the others', reputation either.

And if i'm to be honest, there are other news that amaze me... like how the International Rice Research Institute is located here in the country, and yet the technology of all their discoveries and innovations didn't get distributed to the farmers who actually plant the rice. So now, Filipinos are panic-buying rice, even in places like California. Or so the news says.

Darling Ice turned a month old today. Time sure flies so fast. My son, the minute he was within touching distance, grabbed Ice's foot to munch on his socks. He kept doing that all the time we were there and also kept waking poor Ice with his shrieks.

Sigh.

One of the downsides of being born around summer is heat rash, and my nephew has it worse than Pyro ever did. His face is just all covered up in rash... but at least he's responding to breast milk applied to his face, the rash is drying up already.

And I guess it's really tradition that I will supply the cake, and this is the Swiss Choco one from Becky's.

Sigh.

About a year or two from now, Yakee and Ice will be the best of friends and worst of enemies. In a way, I can't wait for their kind of friendship to blossom... on the other hand, I want time to stand still for a while to allow us to enjoy their babyhood some more.

... and much of my life revolves around the internet (from meeting my husband there, meeting friends there, and maintaining a social life using it these days), I cannot help but check out some of the latest things and trends I hear about.

Take for example http://www.3gb.biz, which offers a lot of things in terms of connecting with friends and utilizing media. You can upload photos, entire albums of them there to direct friends and family to. You can also share the music you listen to by uploading mp3s there. I believe it also helps you in podcasting and learning (or pretending) to be a DJ. The best feature of this 3gb community however is the fact that you can promote your blog (or blogs, or specific posts). Surely, a good way to promote your blog, generate traffic and also meet new blog friends? Blog friends are a hoot to have, they comfort you, give good advice, take you in when you happen to be in their foreign land, buy your paintings, patronize your blooks, etc.

It is a mine of new friends too, because it makes hooking up with people from different places easy. And if you're single, even if not necessarily looking, it can also be a mine of possible suitors, dates or mates. I did say I met my husband on the net right? So there is always a good possibility of catching gold in communities like this.

The legend, of course, is Batjay, known for his Tagalog blog filled with stories about boogers, body odor and balls (his). And stories about living abroad and loving his wife too. His second book was just launched last Monday and some of the Berks got to see him there. Of course, we had to have an official EB of sorts which is why we met at Pot N Noddles last night.

Because I forgot my camera, I had to content myself with taking pictures using my N73 Nokia phone. Too bad really... but still, we had a spanking grand time!

Okay, sorry. Once the food came, I forgot all about taking pictures. But here is a group shot grabbed from Doc Emer :)

And I really should pay more attention to how I look, shop for better-fitting clothes and put on some make-up to hide the eyebags :D And yeah, comb my hair too... :D

I'm back to my pre-wedding weight of 120 lbs. But my build is a little wider than it used to be (that stretching/widening thing that happened during pregnncy hasn't, or wouldn't, resolve itself, I think).

Anyway, I lost my butt when I got pregnant. It's this misshapen lump now where a grand one used to be. Exercise is really very important in keeping a behind firm but one also can't fight pregnancy and its tolls on a woman's body.

I miss my butt. And I don't really care for the boobs I got from breastfeeding since I'm used to not being endowed there.

... food suppliers, from farmers to restaurateurs and bakers, are facing a crunch. Do they inflate their prices or do they use cheaper ingredients or sell at smaller portions?

I didn't eat at Mr. Choi's for months but when we ate there last Saturday, I couldn't help but notice that the wantons in the wanton noodle soup contained fewer shrimps and came in smaller balls. Plus, the noodle soup is no longer the overwhelming portion it used to be.

When we also bought Becky's choco walnut brownies, you can't help but miss its chunkier version before.

Sigh.

I can't blame the sellers for price hikes since rice and flour and gas prices have all soared. But I sometimes wish that they'd just increase the price but not decrease the portions/ingredients... because am only left feeling bitin or shortchaged, so enjoyment over the same fares isn't got. But then, that's easy for me to say since I can afford these goodies (still) and i'm not the one who needs to sell them.

And yes, I am aghast that NFA rice (which, if we're going to be honest, leaves much to be desired as rice) costs around P28 now, when it used to be P18. And dinorado rice (the one we use) now sells at around P50. Pork sells at P170/kilo now too... so yes, imagine how the poor will survive.

It is a shame that beauties such as monkey-eating eagles like Pag-asa (first Philippine eagle bred in captivity, top photo) have to stay captive inside twisted cages. But considering the lack of consideration and vigilance of most people, creatures like them are less endangered here.

Animals at the Calauit Island Sanctuary enjoy the freedom of roaming freely, but they have also become prey to butchery by locals who sell their meat as a delicacy. So instead of thriving, their numbers have been decreasing.

So eventhough I ache for these animals who are trapped in zoos, shelters, tanks... I just remind myself that they have a better chance of surviving there.

I was chatting with my sister and she told me that someone suggested to her to look for sonography schools where she can train to be a sonography technician. She knows it's a different field altogether from nursing but she's toying with the idea because she really wouldn't mind being an OB Gyn's assistant.

I advised her to check first how lucrative a career being a sonography tech is, if it would help her land a job more easily, and if she thinks she meets the requirements for the job. I already know her to be a caring, patient, not easily grossed out person which is why nursing is a perfect fit for her, but am not as sure if being a sonographer will work for her.

EGG (Elite Group of Girls) was a smaller group from the LL (Ladies Lounge) of mygimmick.com. We bonded over a pyjama party and formed a circle of trust as we watched each others' backs... back in those days when we're all still single and could fall prey to the charms or machinations of players (men).

All our PJ parties were fun and food-filled. Usually, the suitors or boyfriends or admirers would sponsor a room in Discovery Suites and just send or drop or have the food and booze delivered to our door. Our fave drink then? Tequila Rose which is so expensive, we could have had two bottles of mudslides for the price of one rose.

We seldom allowed men to stay though, and those nights are usually spent talking about men, sex, food, and gossip. And yes, there are lots of photos taken especially when most are already tipsy and more than willing to take off their bras, tops and something else.

It's in one of these that I got to experience kissing a girl. And where I got desensitized to seeing other women's breasts...

In a way, our gatherings were tame. On the other hand, I have incriminating pics that would say otherwise. But mostly it was just giddy, girly fun. We'd tease each other about anything and everything, get shocked by secrets, cry over spilled milk and big-time jerks.

Our PJ parties were our girls' night IN... and I so miss the company of women that free.

Old friendsWho didn’t see each otherFor five yearsWho never talkedWho never even triedTo bridge the gapThat separated them

Old friendsSoulmates, in factAlter-egosSitting by a pierIn Hong KongUnder a moonlit nightTalking, laughingNot touching each otherYet, connecting in theMost intimate of ways

Old friendsMeeting by fatePerchance to reconcilePerchance to dream againOr perchance, to sayGoodbye, finally

Old friendsEach with questionsPlaying in their mindEach with regretsBurdening their heartsEach with wistful smilesIn their facesAsking silentlyHow their friendshipWould end this time

Old friendsOr former sweetheartsIt doesn’t really matterWhat they were thenBut that they are there nowSitting at that pierWith the cold night windAnd the sweet smell of seaMaking up their mindsMaking up their heartsWhat they’re going to be…

-Mec 4:45 pm8-24-01

funnily enough, three years after I wrote this, I went to HongKong with another guy, and married him the following year.

sadly enough, this guy and I aren't friends anymore

weirdly enough, I am so secure in my marriage that I can reminisce about old loves and romances without feeling my mariage is being threatened... or that am living with regrets...

My sister was unable to take the nursing board last December and then she went back to the U.S. because her VISA was expiring. And since it's winter in Michigan, she's relatively been stuck at home doing nothing.

I tried to harangue my parents into sending her back here in time to review for the July board but alas, she/they have decided that she'll just take the December board. I told her it would just be a waste of time if she waits till then to really work professionally. So now, i'm spending all our chat sessions reminding my Mom to get our uncle to help in finding CNA schools where my sister can train.

CNA courses and CNA traning will allow my sister to work as a certified nursing assistant. While working like that, which isn't really a bad first step for immigrants, she can use the experience to her advantage when she takes the nursing board there. No need really for her to take the local board here because it's certification there that she needs.

Well, since the snow is thawing for spring... I think she is finally energized into going for it.

Meanwhile, my cousin has just graduated last March and will take the July board. I told him to do the same since it's an easier way to land a job there that would allow him to practice what he was trained for. Plus, I also got contacts for a school and hospital in Chicago for special children that needs nurses and nursing assistants.

Plus, the American economy isn't as good anymore so I keep telling them to get their CNA training asap so they can work asap as well. Best that they're ready when opportunities come knocking.

... so allow me to remind you all to show your mothers some love and send flowers to them!

Now that i'm a Mom, I really cannot wait for my son to be old enough to offer me some handpicked daisies off some path or garden (he does not even have to buy flowers) not because the love and nurturing I give should be repaid but because there is nothing nicer than being acknowledged and appreciated.

Be it red roses or orange and yellow gerberas, it would also be nice to get something by flower delivery from my husband... and to think I didn't get flower giving before and preferred food... but it really, being remembered and sent these special treats would be balm to my often exhausted and struggling spirits.

When I was lamenting that I don't get to wear my heels anymore, plus my other shoes, I realized that I have two pairs of trek shoes (my Merell ones even have No Tye Laces) that I haven't worn for over a year.

My camping/climbing equipment are also all gathering dust somewhere, and I don't even remember where I kept my carabs and earth pad and kernmantle ropes and first-aid equipment. Heck, I also don't know if the headbands and kerchiefs I used to keep the sweat from my eyes when I climb are still clean where they are.

Sigh. I miss being active. I miss being out in the sun and one with nature. I miss sweating from exercise and the benefits of using all my muscles. I even miss training for my climbs by running everyday after work which was very hard for me.

I even miss playing badminton at work. My racket, which we bought in a sporting goods store in HongKong, is in a box somewhere with all my other office stuff.

Maybe, when I finally land on my feet again with this mothering business, I will have a chance to look for all my equipment and enjoy sports/activity again. And I know I was a couch potato all my life but I really loved being active when I had the chance.

I wouldn't mind living in HongKong. It's clean. They speak English there. I can probably live on dimsum noodles everyday. The taxi drivers give change. People observe the law and... I still haven't had my fill of its amusement parks and museums.

My friend and her sisters are still struggling with their digiscrapping and scrapbooking business. I have directed them to already to a shopping cart software they need for their site, which is absolutely affordable and wonderfully dependable.

An ecommerce software is not just a tool businesses can use but is actually a trustworthy business partner. It protects both the seller and the buyer by making sure all transactions are secured. Ashop's shopping carts are actually award-winning business solutions so whether you're just starting out or you already have established online websites and shops, their shopping cart software would be a really good investment.

Since a lot of women are now also opting to be entrepreneurs and work from home, and would start small-time businesses, such a tool would create a sense of security for their clients. See, credit card information theft is pretty big these days, which discourages some from buying online. A trusted brand like Ashop entices them back. Thus, small-time bussiness people need not be intimidated by mall and shop giants and consumers are being given more options.

Badcreditoffers.com is a site allowing people who have had bad credit histories by getting a new lease in life through more options to realize dreams. I mean, some institutions wouldn't really be so willing to give someone who has a bad credit history take another loan to finance something, but badcreditoofers.com does.

It's a site where you can easily apply for a bad credit credit card... online! You can also choose among the many bad credit loans it offers (auto, home and personal) to come up with the funds necessary to get back on your feet. I know it takes years to really recover from bad credit but at least you have options where you can either transfer the credit to a lower-interest one or get a loan to finance or expand a business. When you're able to grab the opportunities that come your way,you are more likely to grow... and learn... and thus earn.

When I was young, we could only have ice cream (not the dirty ice cream kind) and cake on really special occasions... like birthdays and graduations. Sometimes, we'd buy cake for Christmas. But that was it, ice cream and cake were special treats.

When I started working, it felt good to be able to buy ice cream and cake more often. As in every payday, aside from every ocassion I can think of. Plus, since I was spending my own money, I could also sample other brand cakes and not limit myself to what Goldilocks, red Ribbon and Joni's (?) can offer then.

It got to a point where my sister said she's sick of cakes and ice cream already. Because sometimes, we end up having both in the same week, or sampling three different cakes in a week, or in a day, or buying three different-flavored ice creams. When i'm craving them, i'd even sometimes treat my department to some.

I sometimes wonder... is ice cream and cake more affordable now, or i've gotten to a point where i'm richer, or both. But it feels like progress, this ability to enjoy and indulge in these particular sweets.

If you were an avid follower of Desperate Housewives, there was a season that involved a psycho-obsessed pharmacy technician in love with Bree. He killed off Bree's husband by giving him the wrong prescription.

Of course, that is pure make-believe for drama's sake. But a pharmacy tech doing his job well is a gift from heaven above and should be kept happy. So, the pharmacy technician salary should be competitive and the institution they're working for should invest on career training for them regularly. If not to boost morale, at least to easily detect forged prescriptions. And of course, read prescriptions accurately.

In the 8 facts about yourself, you share 8 things that your readers don’t know about you. Then at the end you tag at least 8 other bloggers to keep the fun going. Here are the rules.

RULES:* Each blogger must post these rules first.* Each blogger starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.* Bloggers that are tagged need to write on their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.* At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.* Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

******************************************************* 1. Hubs and I dreamed of having twins (boy and girl) because our siblings had kids before us, and we're the eldests.2. I am still dealing with a sort of depression over being a SAHM, not because am not happy about being one, but because I am struggling with motherhood and the fact that am not earning anymore3. I miss my family, who are mostly in the US now4. I miss dancing5. I eat cake and ice cream almost every week and sometimes both in the same day 6. I love milk. I can drink it all day like water7. I am obsessed with Skittles right now too8. I am down to 120 lbs. as I post this

With technology being the way it is, evolving and re-inventing itself year in and year out, one would wonder if medical personnel are being properly trained and updated along with modern man's progress.

Take for example the X-ray technician. Hospitals might consider their work routine and not invest on career training for them. But an xray technician should be kept abreast of developments in the medical field and changing imaging procedures. Since an x ray technician will not always know how to operate every conceivable imaging equipment in a lab, it is imperative that institutions invest on their career training so that they will be able to operate highly-computerized machines with precision and facilitate early detection and correct diagnosis by doctors.

Two of the moms I had dinner with over two weeks ago are attending culinary schools. I was immensely envious because I have always dreamed of learning to cook and preparing savory, delectable meals for my family.

Anyway, another friend abroad wants to attend a culinary school to further fatten up her husband. She said she's looking for a chef school near her area at culinary-school-finder.com and that the site has made it really easy.

So I checked the site she mentioned and found how helpful it can really be. It even lists schools culturally for those who might want to specialize in French or Mexican cooking. Me, if ever I get the chance, I would probably attend a baking school because I really love cakes and really dream of making my own kids' birthday cakes. Kinda traditional, yes.

What I did after visiting the site? E-mail my friend who manages a bakeshop in New York, of course. Am sure she'd find it helpful as well.

Actually, I am not exactly a fan. He's a good actor and not exactly a good husband and father figure but I just really, really love his face. And the fact that KC is the spitting image of her Dad (plus that other girl who's supposed to be a model in France), I was ever curious to see how all his kids look like.

Well, now I know that his child (Gabrielle) with Grace Ibuna looks like her Mom. And if we're going to be truthful, KC is also looking more and more like her grandma Elaine.

I also wonder if all of Gabby's kids are girls and who ended up as the prettiest.

I know, my fascination is very superficially-motivated.

But see, most of Dolphy's kids look like him... except Vandolph really... and most of Ramon Revilla's kids also look like him... that's why i'm wondering. I did say I was enamored of the face.

And yes, i'm not quite sure if I like KC... especially the way she acts. But maybe this stems from my not-so-silent belief that her Mom is just so fake and sort of self-involved.

When you're strapped for cash, you can use your credit card to pay for the following: weekly groceries, mocha latte at Starbucks, fine dining, shopping, appliance and furniture purchases, medical bills, gas, internet purchases, maybe even most or all of your utility bills.

But there are things that you have to spend on that require cold, hard cash. Like food order deliveries, laundry and cleaners, babysitting, some fast food, buying stuff from the neighborhood grocer, rent (you an issue a cheque maybe but you have to be careful it doesn't bounce), allowance, tips, shopping in flea markets, bus or taxi fares, doctors' professional fees, etc.

So what do you do?

You can get some cash advance from your credit card, but will be charged for it, aside from incurring interests in case you don't pay it off in time.

Well, you can stay imprisoned in your home, unfed, till your salary comes in or you can avail cash loans. Sites like theperfectcashadvance.com have made it really easy to apply for cash advances that can tide you over till your payday comes. Then you pay off the loan you made and need not dip into your savings.

Short-term monetary emergencies are no longer the crisis they once were. And options are being made available for people to save money in the long run.